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THE DISCOVBRKR. OF GUTTA PERCHA._ The President of the India Board, Mr. Ver- don Smith, has placed on his list of military nominations for November next the sou of the discoverer of this inspissated sap of an Indian tree, without the help of which ne should not to be able, as we now are, to know in five minutes' time what transpires in Crim Tartary, 3000 miles off. The dis- coverer was Dr. Willum Montgomene, of the Indian medical service, and this only n the vear 1845."although many of the countries producing the article have been in t European occupation for above 300 years.

from which'lhey were made, and from the crude native manufacture inferred at once the extensive uses to which the jrutta percha might be put iu the arts of Europe. He purchased a quantity of the i HW material, sending from Singapore part of it to Ben- gal und pnrt to Europe, and sutrge^ting some cf the uses to Which he fancied it

might be applied. The quantity seut to England seemed to him at once, as the dis- coverer, the gold medal of the Society of Arte, his sole reward, until the President of the Indian Board, on no other giound what I ever than his discovery, liberally bestowed

his patronage on his son.

I The Tipperary Joint Stock Bank, estab-

lished by the lute Mr. John Sadlier, is in a precarious state. If it bus not actually stopped payment, it is in such a position that strong doubts exist as lo its being able to carry on its business for any length of time. The bank never did any business in Dublin, and always transact- d their agency at the Batik of Iieland. They never issued notes, but availed themselves of a provision in the Bai.k Act, enabling them to issue Bank of Ireland notes on the terms laid down in the act. Their paid-up capital is said to be about £50,000 in £10 shares, but the amount of deposits is be- lieved to be very large. The list of shaie hulders of the hank appeared in the GA- ZETTE a few days ago. It consists chiefly of English proprietors, there being out of 99 names 68 in England, the rest being chiefly in the locality, onlv a single share- holder, a highly respectable solicitor, íesid ing in Dublin. The English proprietors aie chiefly in the agricultural districts, two thirds ,of the entire number bein«* in the four counties of Essex, Bedford, Hertftfrd, and Buckingham. There arc 24 farmers in the list, and five meiubcn. of Parliament. A petition has been presented to the Court of Chancery to wind up the affairs of the

bunk

Voss's GAZSTTK publishes a remarkable document-a getieral order by the Com mnnder-in-Chief of the Austrian 'army, giving ducctions for the observance of the fasts of the church by the troops of the em- pire. This innovation is another result of the Concordat. The Commander-m-Chief says, the rules are piomulgBt-d ut the in- stance of the Vicar Apostolic. The first i e gulation foi bids the generals, supeiior offi cers, and members of the general staff to eat meat on Fridays, and the last three days of the Holy Week. The second extends the same prohibition to the men, from the sergeant-major downwards ; the third bids officers and men observe the ordinances of the church as to theil diet on saints' days ; the fourth enjoins attendance on the Easter

confession. In the fifth it is intimated that

the venerable bishop expects the gratitude of the faithful for the indulgence be has shewn in these Lenten regulations, and hopes it will be lewanled by their frequent attend- ance at divine service and confession. Voss says that this otder has produced the great- est sensation in the army, which has never before received orders íespecting the obser- vance of Lent in this form. It is said to be the intention of the Austrian Government to introduce the use of certificate of confes- sion into the aimy, and each officer will have to show that he has confessed at least once in six weeks.

The village of Leurbost, parish of Lochs, Lewis, is at present the scene of an unusual occurrence. This is no less than the ap- pearance in one of the inland fresh water lakes of an animal which, from its great size and dimensions, has not a little puzzled our island naturalists. Some suppose him to be a description of the hitherto mytho- logical water-kelpie ; while others refer it to the minute descriptions of the " sea ser- pent," which are revived from time to time in newspaper columns. It has been re- peatedly seen within the last fortnight by crowds of people, many of whom have come from the remotest parts of the parish to witness the uncommon spectacle. The animal is described by some as being in appearance and size like a " huge peat stack," while others affirm that a " six- oared boat" could pass between the huge fins, which ure occasionally visible. All, however, agree, in describing its form as that of the eel ; and we have heard one, whose evidence we can rely upon, state that in length he supposed it to be about forty feet. It is probable that it is no more than a conger eel after all, animals of this de- scription having been caught in Highland lakes which have attained a huge size. He is currently reported to have swallowed a blanket, inadvertently left on the bank of the lake by a girl herding cattle. A sports- man esconced himself with a rifle in the vicinity of the loch during the whole day, hoping to get a shot, but did no execution.